


Christmas

by Lilithangel



Series: Second Time Around [2]
Category: Angel: the Series
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-08-16
Updated: 2012-08-16
Packaged: 2017-11-12 06:37:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,218
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/487824
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lilithangel/pseuds/Lilithangel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The boys are two and its Christmas time.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Christmas

Liam “Angel” Burkle stared suspiciously at the strange food in front of him.

“Go on Angel,” Fred encouraged, “it’s really nummy. Look, Spike’s enjoying it.”

William “Spike” Burkle had two fistfuls of turkey and a mouthful of stuffing with just as much on his face again. He grinned at Angel and attempted to stuff a mouthful of turkey in as well.

Angel frowned and snatched a handful from Spike’s plate. Spike grumbled through his mouthful and snatched a handful from Angel’s plate.

“Why don’t you just separate their chairs?” Connor asked from the safety of the other side of the table.

“Because then neither of them would eat,” Fred said with a sigh and a soft blessing for drop cloths, “they need the competition.”

“It’s interesting how much of their personalities they still retain,” Wesley said from his place at the table. He was still a ghost but Fred always insisted he join the festivities anyway.

“You think they’ll remember anything?” Gunn asked.

“I don’t know,” Fred said the worry evident in her voice. “I hope they don’t, at least until they’re old enough to understand.”

“That ain’t a story I want to tell,” Gunn said.

“They’ll realise soon enough they don’t come from an ordinary background,” Wesley said.

“Well I want them to be ordinary as long as they can,” Fred said, wiping the gravy beard off Spike’s face. She wiped his hands and pulled the plate away before he could make another mess. His lower lip quivered so she forestalled the tantrum with a slice of banana.

Angel’s face screwed up and he picked up some potato and ate it, determined to get his banana too. He was a much neater eater than Spike and Fred only had to wipe his hands after.

“I’ll take them into the living room if you like,” Connor said, “let you finish your turkey in peace.”

“Thank you,” Fred said gratefully, “don’t forget we’ve got pie for after. Pie…” she leapt up and ran into the kitchen returning a moment later with a disappointed look. “It’s just chemistry,” she said, “it should be simple.”

“No pie?” Gunn said and she shook her head. He and Connor relaxed. Fred was a genius but pies were her nemesis and both of them were grateful they didn’t have to pretend it was edible.

Connor tucked a baby under each arm and escaped to the living room while Gunn finished his meal with Fred. He put them into the playpen as Wesley materialised in the room and set the Christmas decorations dancing as entertainment.

Spike stood right up against the bars his eyes fixed on the dancing ornaments, hands moving in time with them and eyes sparkling with delight.

Angel was just as entranced but he sat back clutching his teddy bear. Spike would turn and grin at him occasionally and they both squealed when Wesley made the Christmas fairy dive bomb them.

Half an hour later Fred, Gunn and Connor were all fast asleep on the sofa and Wesley had faded away to wherever he went and bright blue eyes glared determinedly at the bars of the playpen. Little hands grabbed the top rail and little legs kicked frantically to no avail. A soft huff as a nappied bottom plonked down and a plump lower lip quivered in frustration.

A pile of toys were pushed into one corner and hands and feet began their determined ascent again. This time resulted in success and the soft huff occurred on the other side of the bars.

Spike pulled himself up and stared around at the wondrous adventure that awaited. A small whimper stopped him from toddling off and he turned around to see Angel standing against the bars, teddy bear still clutched in one hand, watching him with tear filled eyes.

“’splore,” Spike said.

“Not ‘lowed,” Angel said shaking his head.

“Angel?” Spike pleaded.

Angel’s lip quivered as he clambered over the rail and tumbled to the floor. Spike patted him on the arm so he wouldn’t cry and they headed for the tree. Underneath was a treasure of bright paper and shiny ribbons just asking for little fingers to pull and tear. Soon even Angel had forgotten his upset as they ripped paper and completely ignored the presents inside.

Connor opened one eye to the sight of Spike and Angel surrounded by wrapping paper. In one hand Spike was waving a handful of ribbon while sucking on one end and Angel was banging on the side of a gift box. Nothing was broken and nobody was choking so Connor closed his eye again for a few minutes.

Fred was woken to a face full of soggy silver ribbon being presented to her by a very determined Spike. He gurgled with delight at her squeak of surprise and pushed the ribbon closer.

“No thank you,” she said, “I’m not hungry Spike.”

Spike pouted a little and then shoved the ribbon back in his own mouth.

“Are you telling me you’re hungry?” she smiled at the sight. Spike grinned and shook his head offering her the ribbon one more time. “You just want to share? You are a good boy,” Fred said shaking her head. “Where’s Angel?” She looked up quickly and relaxed when she saw the other little boy plonked in front of the television.

There was a loud snort from the chair Gunn was sleeping in and he woke up with a start. “Looks like we missed all the action,” he said when his eyes adjusted.

“It sure does,” Fred said with a giggle. “I’d better change these two and put them down for their own naps.”

“Connor and I will make a start on the dishes then,” Gunn said, shoving the young man in question with a foot.

Fred tucked the two small boys into their ‘big boy’ cot. Since they both still refused to sleep alone they’d converted a single bed. They might insist on sleeping together but there would be no sleeping if they were too close, only a lot of pushing and shoving. Separated they would fall asleep and end up curled up together by morning. A part of Fred hoped that would never change despite how awkward it might get as they got older.

She turned on the musical mobile over the cot and kissed them both. Spike fussed until she gave him a second kiss and Angel fussed until she’d done the same.

Wesley appeared on the other side of the cot and smiled at them. Angel chuckled when he waved transparent fingers, reaching out to try and grab them and giggling more when they past right through.

Spike was content to hold onto Fred’s finger as he fought off sleep and watch Angel. Neither managed more than a few minutes before sleep completely claimed them.

“They’re going to be terrors in a few years,” Wesley said fondly.

“As opposed to now?” Fred said.

Wesley smiled, “absolute terrors,” he amended.

In the bed Spike had already turned toward Angel and Angel’s hand that had been reaching for Wesley’s ghostly fingers had fallen pointing to Spike.

Fred turned on the nightlight and turned off the overhead light, whispering good night to Wesley who would watch over the sleep of their two champions finally sleeping the sleep of the innocent.

**Author's Note:**

> Liberties were definitely taken with language skills!


End file.
